1809 - Surrender of Zante, &c., Onyx and Manly

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1809 Light Squadrons and Single Ships 146

marines killed, two lieutenants (Tailour and Forster), one midshipman (Syer), seven seamen, one private of marines severely, and three lieutenants (Stuart, Maude, and Begbie), one master's mate (Webster), two midshipmen (Beady and Armstead), 28 seamen, five privates of marines slightly wounded ; total, 15 killed and 55 wounded. The loss on the part of the French has not been recorded ; but, from the obstinacy. of their resistance, it must have been extremely severe. While in the act of boarding the French commodore's ship, Lieutenant Tailour received a most distressing wound by a pike on the side of his head, near the temple, but, stanching the blood by means of a knotted handkerchief, was main among the foremost in the fight. Had he not possessed sufficient presence of mind immediately to apply this ready species of tourniquet, the thrust would have proved mortal. Lieutenant Tailour, as the lists inform us, obtained the just reward of his gallantry, in being immediately promoted to the rank of commander.

In the month of October in this year, the islands of Zante, Cephalonia, and their dependencies, surrendered, without opposition, to a combined naval and military force under the respective commands of Captain John William Spranger of the British 74-gun ship Warrior, and of Brigadier-general John Oswald. The island of Cerigo surrendered, upon similar terms, to Captain Jahleel Brenton of the British 3S-gun frigate Spartan, and a. division of troops under the command of Major Charles William Clarke, of the 35th regiment ; as did also the island of Ithaca to the brig-sloop Philomel, Captain George Crawley, and a small. detachment of troops under Captain Church of the army. By these vigorous measures, the inhabitants of these islands were liberated from the oppression of the French, and the septinsular republic was declared to be restored.

Light Squadrons and Single Ships

On the 1st of January, at daylight, the British brig-sloop Onyx, of eight 18-pounder carronades and two sixes, with 75 men and boys, Captain Charles Gill, cruising in latitude 53� 30' north, longitude 3� east, discovered on her lee bow a sail standing to the southward. As soon as the Onyx had made the private signal, the stranger, which was the Dutch brig-sloop Manly, of 12 English 18-pounder carronades and four brass sixes (two of them stern-chasers), with 94 men and boys, Captain-lieutenant W. Heneyman, of the Dutch-navy, hoisted her colours and hove to, as if prepared for battle. The British brig kept her wind until 8 a.m. ; then, being perfectly ready, bore down and brought the Dutch brig to close action. The Manly made several attempts to rake the Onyx, but the superior manoeuvring of the latter frustrated every attempt. At 10 h. 30 m. a.m., being

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